Framingham, MA

Nearly 200 people from throughout New England’s $11 billion print marketplace converged on a hotel ballroom recently for Vendor Showcase, the largest gathering this year of leaders from the region’s graphic communications industry.

RR Donnelley served notice to the former Heartland Press plant in Spencer, IA, that it planned to close for good by March 13. The move leaves 160 employees without jobs. The plant was obtained by Donnelley in the Perry Judd’s acquisition.

From the "it's going to get worse before it gets better" department comes a Quad/Graphics capacity reduction that sees 550 people lose their jobs this week. Another 72 jobs are gone as Courier Corp. shuts down short-run Book-mart of North Bergen, NJ, while 62 Multi-Color Corp. positions are eliminated as its Framingham, MA, operations are folded into other facilities. That's nearly 700 jobs in under a week. It's a safe bet that more than 1,000 people industry-wide will be cut loose this week.

DARIEN, CT—The Printing Arts America (PAA) rollup of commercial printers, collected during the heyday of industry consolidation in the late 1990s, has been divested. Nationwide Graphics announced it has acquired Classic Printing of Nashville, TN; AIM Riverside Press of Pompano Beach, FL; and Printing Arts Houston from PAA, which had filed for Chapter 11 reorganizational protection last November. Nationwide is also now part owner of Miami-based Original Impressions, with Roland Garcia—founder of the company—as majority owner. Recently, Houston-based Consolidated Graphics acquired Baltimore-based S&S Graphics, while Printing Arts Chicago was reacquired by William J. Chmura—its previous owner—and John Ropski. The other PAA companies—Bay State Press, Framingham, MA; George

DARIEN, CT—The 2001 campaign continues to be a challenging one for some of commercial printing's biggest names. Printing Arts America (PAA), based here, has filed for Chapter 11 reorganizational bankruptcy, another blow to the once-flourishing corps of commercial printing industry consolidators. Joe Ahearn, of Pilgrim Associates, has been brought in by PAA to lead the company during its bankruptcy proceedings. Ahearn replaces departed President/CEO Marion Antonini. Harris DeWese, of Compass Capital Partners, has been engaged to advise PAA on strategic direction. Formed in 1998, PAA quickly made a name for itself by acquiring 11 companies in the United States and Mexico. The debt accrued in financing the

WORCESTER, MA—Saltus Press announced it has acquired the assets of Overly Publishing and Charles Overly Studios, both of Framingham, MA. Overly Publishing produces a line of custom datebook planners and handbooks sold to the college bookstore market. Charles Overly Studios markets a line of custom cards, stationery and other printed products for a number of markets. Manufacturing of the Overly lines was relocated to Saltus Press, which retained any Overly employees who chose to remain with Saltus. Saltus Press also announced the completion of a 17,600-square-foot expansion. The addition will be used for storing raw material and will add manufacturing space for work-in-process and finished goods. The